Big Tobacco Sues FDA Over Ghastly Warning Photos

The FDA is to be commended for consistently raising the vomit-bar when it comes to cigarette warnings. Next month, they're rolling out nine graphic new labels — collect them all! — featuring the most impressive-looking cancer lungs and sliced-open cadavers we've seen to date. Take that, Saw movie campaign! But your favorite nic-pushers are done playing Mr. Nice Tobacco Conglomerate: They're fighting back! With lawyers!

Four of the five biggest U.S. tobacco companies, led by R.J. Reynolds and Lorillard Tobacco Co., have filed suit against the FDA, saying the new packaging requirements "no longer simply convey facts" that smokers can use to arrive at their own conclusions about whether or not their deadly, cancer-causing product will kill them with cancer:

"Never before in the United States have producers of a lawful product been required to use their own packaging and advertising to convey an emotionally-charged government message urging adult consumers to shun their products," the companies wrote in the lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington, D.C.

Do you hear that, FDA? If there is one thing the tobacco industry will not stand for, it's having their product aligned with emotionally charged images. (Unless it's an emotion related to sex, masculinity, friendship, strength of character, etc.) The FDA refused to comment on the case.